Preparing for Pharmacy School
What You Should Do When...
Every year:
- Keep your grades up!
- Take pre-requisite courses for pharmacy school and your major.
- Major in whatever you're interested in and passionate about!
- Participate in Students Interested in Health Careers (SIHC).
- Attend health-related programs on campus (including the Hylton Lecture) and visits from representatives of health professions schools.
- Make sure your name is on HCAB's mailing list.
- Stay up-to-date about issues related to pharmacy, pharmaceuticals, and health care in general. Read the health page of a major newspaper and/or choose INQ/HNRS class sections with a healthcare focus.
- Investigate shadowing opportunities, placements, and internships with pharmacists. Investigate summer paid or voluntary medically-related experiences.
First-Year:
- Join Students Interested in Health Careers.
- Attend health-related programs on campus (including the Hylton Lecture) and visits from representatives of health professions schools.
- Explore the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy website to learn more about Pharmacy schools and careers
- Identify pharmacy schools that you might like to attend. Check out the web site for each of these schools and note specific requirements.
- Investigate summer paid or voluntary medically-related experiences.
- Make contact with an HCAB advisor to discuss planning for Pharmacy school
Second-Year:
- Log on the PCAT web site to learn about the Pharmacy College Admission Test.
- Log on the PHARMCAS web site to learn about the process required for application to pharmacy schools.
- Make a preliminary list of schools that interest you and research their pre-requisite requirements.
Third-Year:
- Prepare to take the PCAT. Consider taking a preparatory course. (Contact Career Services early this year for scholarship opportunities.)
- Take the PCAT in spring semester.
- Decide where to apply. Be sure to check school requirements!
- Complete the pharmacy school online application form through the PHARMCAS web site. Submit on the first day possible.
- Conduct a practice interview with members of HCAB.
- Request letters of recommendation.
Fourth-Year:
- Finish up any required pre-requisite courses for pharmacy school and your major.
- Complete secondary applications.
- Interview!
What If You Don't Get In? Try Again!
- Contact schools and ask an admissions counselor what your weak areas are and how you can strengthen your application in the next round.
- Apply again.